It is known that in the art of constructing automatic machines for filling and sealing containers such as bottles, vials and the like, there is a need to adapt, to the various shapes and sizes of the containers, the guiding and moving means which remove the containers from the conveyor belts and channel them towards and away from the filling and sealing carousels and from the latter towards the machine exit point.
In other words, it is known that there is the need to perform retooling of the machine every time the shape and/or size of the container varies beyond certain predetermined tolerance limits.
It is also known that in such machines the moving and guiding means essentially consist of rotating disks, commonly called star wheels, which have formed in them recesses of the shape of the containers, and stationary guides, which are situated opposite to the star wheels with respect to the conveyor belt, commonly called bows or outer guides.
Both the guiding and moving elements are fixed to the base of the machine by means of screws elements which are manually fixed onto corresponding internal threads formed inside spacing columns or rotating shafts for moving the star wheels, joined to the base of the machine.
In view of the large number of screws which have to be unscrewed and tightened up each time the machine is retooled and in view of the fact that this operation is performed manually, downtimes occur in the cycle, which are incompatible with the production speeds required and with the capacity of the machine to maintain these speeds once they are up to running speed.